Ethiopian Jews have appealed to the president of Israel to help them migrate there, to be reunited with members of their families.

The request was made to President Reuven Rivlin by Jewish representatives at the start of his state visit to Ethiopia on Tuesday.

Jewish leaders say nearly 80,000 people are stranded in Ethiopia waiting to emigrate to Israel.

They all claim to be descendants of Jews who converted to Christianity years ago, mostly under duress.

More than 140,000 Ethiopian Jews now live in Israel, many of whom were helped to move there by the Israeli authorities.

Recent months have seen thousands protesting in Israel for the government to do more for the Jewish community in Ethiopia.

But there have also been calls to deport migrants from Africa.

In April, Israel's government abandoned a plan to expel thousands of migrants - mostly from Eritrea and Sudan - after a court ruling and an outcry by rights groups.

In 2016, Israeli officials said the migrants threatened the security and identity of the Jewish state.